The HRIC Daily Brief is a daily selection of news stories and commentary related to human rights in China, drawn from Chinese- and English-language news and online media sources that we monitor daily. In addition to headlines and source links, HRIC also provides English translation of Chinese headlines.

Tuesday, July 31, 2018

Access to Justice (司法公正)

Chinese police block lawyer hired for ink-splash woman in mental hospital
Radio Free Asia, July 31, 2018
https://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/lawyer-07312018121245.html

傅政华:促进基本公共法律服务均等,年底村居法律顾问全覆盖 (Ministry of Justice to achieve nation-wide coverage of “village legal counsel” by end of 2018)
The Paper, July 30, 2018
https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_2305381

宁夏辅警抗洪抢险中牺牲,三男子在网上发表侮辱言论被抓 (Three men are detained for disparaging policeman who died in flood)
Yinchuan Police WeChat, July 30, 2018
https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_2305302

Access to Information (信息公开)

政治压力增大微信加紧钳制颁发新八戒 (Rumored bans on posting information in eight categories spread in WeChat)
Radio France Internationale, July 31, 2018
http://cn.rfi.fr/中国/20180731-政治压力大微信加紧钳制颁发新八戒

斗鱼:禁封主播陈一发儿直播间,对所有主播启动爱国主义教育 (Live streaming platform bans popular presenter, imposes patriotic education on all presenters)
The Paper, July 31, 2018
https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_2308699

贵州独山一网民恶意诽谤当地精准扶贫工作,被行政拘留7日 (Netizen detained for 7 days for allegedly defaming local government on WeChat)
The Paper, July 31, 2018
https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_2307130

全国性宗教团体共同倡议:在宗教活动场所升挂国旗 (Religious groups call for displaying national flag in religious gatherings)
Xinhua News, July 31, 2018
http://www.xinhuanet.com/politics/2018-07/31/c_1123204072.htm

“信用交通”网站两年公布失信黑名单1326个 (Ministry of Transportation’s “credit” website has named 1326 who “lost trustworthiness” over past two years in transportation- related misconduct)
Legal Daily, July 30, 2018
http://www.legaldaily.com.cn/index_article/content/2018-07/30/content_7605363.htm?node=5955

海南检察机关立案4起英烈保护领域公益诉讼案 (Hainan procuratorate starts four heroes and martyrs protection suits)
Legal Daily, July 30, 2018
https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_2307419

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

As China’s woes mount, Xi Jinping faces rare bebuke at home
The New York Times, July 31, 2018
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/31/world/asia/xi-jinping-internal-dissent.html

China appeals to military veterans not to protest, respect law
Reuters, July 31, 2018
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-defence-veterans/china-appeals-to-military-veterans-not-to-protest-respect-law-idUSKBN1KL0FU

Chinese parents protest bad vaccines for hundreds of thousands
“给受害者一个公道”:中国家长抗议疫苗丑闻
The New York Times, July 30, 2018
EN: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/30/world/asia/china-protest-faulty-vaccines.html
CH: https://cn.nytimes.com/china/20180731/china-protest-faulty-vaccines/

Related:
疫苗受害者中国药监局抗议 警察抢条幅 (Vaccine victims protest outside China Food and Drug Administration again)
The Voice of America, July 31, 2018
https://www.voachinese.com/a/4507173.html

深圳佳士工人抗争获到场民众支持及高校学生联署声援 (Group of 15 activists arrives in Shenzhen to support workers’ rights defense action, detained after submitting petition letter)
The Voice of America, July 31, 2018
https://www.voachinese.com/a/news-latest-development-of-shenzhen-workers-protest-20180730/4506039.html

Related:
Letter of Support for Shenzhen Jasic Workers Arrested for Demanding to Form Labor Union
Human Rights in China, July 29, 2018
https://www.hrichina.org/en/citizens-square/letter-support-shenzhen-jasic-workers-arrested-demanding-form-labor-union

中国人权律师团律师就佳士工人维权事件的声明 (China Human Rights Lawyers Group’s statement on Shenzhen factory workers rights defense action)
China Human Rights Lawyers Group, July 30, 2018
http://wqw2010.blogspot.com/2018/07/blog-post_307.html

Government Accountability (政府问责)

反腐高压震慑!这个“老虎”选择投案自首 (Former Vice Chairman of Hebei People’s Political Consultative Conference surrenders to authorities for serious disciplinary and legal violations)
China News, July 31, 2018
http://www.chinanews.com/gn/2018/07-31/8584938.shtml

Related:
Top cadre under investigation after turning himself in to China’s graft-buster
South China Morning Post, July 31, 2018
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/2157690/top-cadre-under-investigation-after-turning-himself

广东省中山市政协党组副书记贺振章被“双开” (Deputy Secretary of Zhongshan Political Consultative Conference’s Party Committee is expelled from Party and removed from job for serious disciplinary and legal violations)
The Paper, July 31, 2018
https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_2307604

又一次鼓起“挤水分”的勇气?辽宁人大成立全国首个地方债调查委 (Liaoning Province People’s Congress forms committee to investigate local government debts, first of its kind in the country)
Guancha Syndicate, July 31, 2018
https://www.guancha.cn/economy/2018_07_31_466336.shtml

千万级罚单再现!整肃第三方支付行业,央行是认真的 (China’s central bank imposes heavy fines on third party payment platforms)
Legal Daily, July 31, 2018
http://www.legaldaily.com.cn/index_article/content/2018-07/31/content_7606774.htm?node=5955

山东省疾控中心官员自杀 目前正在山东省立医院抢救 (Attempted suicide by Shandong Province Disease Control Center official who served on original review panel for faulty vaccines)
China Times, July 31, 2018
http://www.chinatimes.net.cn/article/78927.html

Foxconn workers are the latest victims of Shenzhen’s gentrification
China Labour Bulletin, July 31, 2018
http://www.clb.org.hk/content/foxconn-workers-are-latest-victims-shenzhen%E2%80%99s-gentrification

37,000 Chinese officials punished for “frugality code” breaches
The Guardian, July 31, 2018
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jul/31/37000-chinese-officials-punished-for-frugality-code-breaches

How China’s protectionist vaccine policy has backfired on Beijing
South China Morning Post, July 31, 2018
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/2157532/how-chinas-protectionist-vaccine-policy-has-backfired

Coffins smashed, seized, exhumed in China as province bans burials to save land
South China Morning Post, July 31, 2018
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/2157531/coffins-smashed-seized-exhumed-china-province-bans-burials-save

Related:
江西网友建议殡葬改革“先建好灵堂”,官方:正加快建设 (Netizens urge building memorial halls amid government’s push for “zero burial” policy) The Paper, July 31, 2018
https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_2308730

China’s two-child policy is having unintended consequences
The Economist, July 26, 2018
https://www.economist.com/china/2018/07/26/chinas-two-child-policy-is-having-unintended-consequences

ICT and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

Chinese surveillance expands to muslims making Mecca pilgrimage
Wall Street Journal, July 31, 2018
https://www.wsj.com/articles/chinese-surveillance-expands-to-muslims-making-mecca-pilgrimage-1533045703

工信部调查多家涉及用户个人信息安全问题企业 (Ministry of Industry and Information Technology investigates IT companies on data breach and privacy infringement)
Legal Daily, July 31, 2018
http://www.legaldaily.com.cn/index_article/content/2018-07/31/content_7607438.htm?node=5955

官媒宣称中国迈向“刷脸时代” (Chinese state media: China enters Facial Recognition Era)
Radio Free Asia, July 31, 2018
https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/meiti/gf1-07312018102042.html

National Security and Counterterrorism (国家安全与反恐)

China boosts “stability” measures ahead of People's Liberation Army Day
Radio Free Asia, July 31, 2018
https://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/stability-07312018110120.html

Related:
老兵八一上访:昔日保卫政权 今被政权围堵 (Authorities intercept and disperse veterans at train station from going to Beijing to protest)
Deutsche Welle, July 31, 2018
https://p.dw.com/p/32N8g

Hong Kong (香港)

行管會入稟追薪津近300萬 梁國雄:將申法援抗辯 宣誓官司未完追討不合理 (“Long Hair” to apply for legal aid to fight LegCo claim for back wages despite pending judicial review)
The Stand News, July 31, 2018
https://thestandnews.com/politics/行管會入稟追薪津近300萬-梁國雄-將申法援抗辯-宣誓官司未完追討不合理/

Related:
Ousted Hong Kong legislator “Long Hair” Leung Kwok-hung slams “childish and despotic” demand for HK$2.98 million in salary, expenses
South China Morning Post, July 31, 2018
https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2157639/ousted-hong-kong-legislator-long-hair-leung-kwok-hung-slams

NGO task force identifies 63 victims of human trafficking in Hong Kong using new toolkit
Hong Kong Free Press, July 31, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/07/31/ngo-task-force-identifies-63-victims-human-trafficking-hong-kong-using-new-toolkit/

Commentary (评论)

China may become the world’s leader in AI. But at what cost?
China File, July 30, 2018
http://www.chinafile.com/conversation/china-may-become-worlds-leader-ai-what-cost

Liu Xiaobo memorial a litmus test of protest fatigue in Hong Kong, where democracy movement is divided and disillusioned
South China Morning Post, July 31, 2018
https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/long-reads/article/2157010/liu-xiaobo-memorial-litmus-test-protest-fatigue

侠客岛:江西“抢棺材”惹众怒,地方政府为何如此激进? (Why is local government so extreme in banning burials?)
China Daily Overseas Edition WeChat, July 31, 2018
https://www.guancha.cn/society/2018_07_31_466373.shtml

China’s sudden #MeToo movement
The Diplomat, July 31, 2018
https://thediplomat.com/2018/07/chinas-sudden-metoo-movement/